Here we are at the conclusion of this series. When I began, I intended to rewrite what I published years ago, but had taken down from the internet because the last thing I want to do is communicate rejection or condemnation to Catholic loved ones. However, of late more people I know have expressed interest in the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) or have joined the church. I find this to be puzzling in light of what I know about RCC doctrine and its antagonism to biblical Christianity. That is what motivated me to redo this series. The more I wrote, the more I realized needed to be addressed. The twelve articles in this series certainly do not cover everything, but they do address the core issues.

I began this series with my own testimony, describing how God went after me and revealed Christ to me in a way that transformed me from being a skeptic to a believer. This spiritual rebirth changed everything in my life. From that time on, the only thing I really wanted to do was serve the Lord. My wife Martha and I have been in some form of ministry for most of our adult lives.

When all this took place on the Duke University campus in 1971, I realized that it had absolutely nothing to do with the RCC. I heard the true gospel for the first time from my wife to be, decided it was worth a try, and invited Jesus, if he were real, to come into my life and reveal himself to me. When our Lord actually did this, it was the most amazing, joyful, and transformative thing that ever happened to me. The RCC never even told me that I could know God in this way or have any assurance at all of salvation.

Instead of preaching the gospel, the RCC puts itself forward as the means to be saved.

The second article illustrated that the RCC is a legalistic treadmill of false doctrine and rules that must be kept in order to work towards heaven without any real assurance of arriving one day.

The true grace of God provides eternal salvation as a gift purchased by our Lord Jesus when he died on the cross and rose again.

Paul warned us that anyone who preaches anything other than the true gospel will be accursed or under God’s judgment.

The third article addressed the RCC’s departure from adherence to the Bible as its source of truth in favor of church tradition and the “magisterium,” or official pronouncements of the Pope when he writes or speaks “ex cathedra,” or “from the chair” of papal authority. Isaiah wrote that unless we follow God’s truth in the Bible, we descend into darkness.

Any person or group who rejects the absolute authority of God’s written word will always veer into error, which is exactly what happened with the RCC.

My fourth article addressed the abominable heresy that Christ is re-sacrificed each time the Mass is performed. This doctrine is opposed to the Bible’s clear teaching that our Lord died “once for all.” This is a clear example of syncretism, the practice of blending two or more religions together, in this case the Old Covenant with the New, producing a hybrid that is not faithful to either. This supposed re-sacrifice of Christ is overseen by a new class of priests not authorized by God. The only person sufficient to conduct the sacrifice of God’s only Son was the Son himself, who is the apostle and high priest of the New Covenant (Hebrews 3:1).

The Mass denigrates Christ’s sacrifice and elevates the church to the sacrilegious position of overseeing Christ’s re-crucifixion.

The fifth article addressed the sinful exaltation and veneration that is given to Mary, Jesus’ mother. The Bible never encourages us to venerate anyone, something that can easily slide into adoration among ignorant people. The false doctrines associated with Mary positions her as “Mother of God” and “Queen of Heaven,” which are both non-biblical. In fact, queen of heaven is a title of several pagan goddesses. Shrines have been erected in her honor, and the church is encouraged to go to her in prayer, thinking that she is a mediator between them and Jesus, which is also false.

There is only one mediator, our Lord Jesus.

My sixth article addresses the RCC belief regarding the saints. Before a person is recognized as a saint, miracles must be proven to come from praying to these persons after they are dead. Nowhere in the Bible are we ever encouraged to pray to the dead. Neither are we supposed to turn to anyone else to mediate on our behalf with God.

The Bible teaches that all believers are saints, the word meaning set apart unto God.

The seventh article examines the RCC priesthood in light of the Scriptures.

The priesthood is another syncretistic blending of the Old and New Covenants.

God did away with the Old Covenant sacrificial system after our Lord offered himself as the Lamb of God at Calvary. Those Old Covenant sacrifices foreshadowed Christ’s once for all giving of himself on our behalf. Once the reality came, the shadow disappeared. All believers are now priests unto God, but we offer spiritual sacrifices that are enumerated in the Bible – ourselves, giving, hospitality, and praise. The new order of non-biblical priests in the RCC is heretical.

The eighth article is about the papacy, which is an outgrowth of the error behind the priesthood that there is a divide between common people (the laity) and a clerical order of priests, bishops, and the Pope. The Pope’s words are supposed to be infallible when he speaks officially or “ex cathedra.” Many ex cathedra pronouncements are heretical because the diverge from biblical truth. He is supposed to be Christ’s representative on earth, the Vicar of Christ, but the Bible teaches that we are all Christ’s ambassadors or representatives. The Bible clearly teaches that authority in the local church is vested in the presbytery or eldership. Usually one of the elders in a local assembly has a leadership gift and is part of the five-fold ministry mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 – apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher.

Nowhere in the Bible is any one man or woman given supreme authority over the entire church except for Christ himself.

This heresy arose after Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the empire, and the church began to fashion itself more like an earthly kingdom, complete with a king or Pope.

The ninth article shows how the non-biblical and false doctrine of Purgatory detracts from the finished work of Christ by claiming we must expiate our own sins by suffering prior to being pure enough to enter heaven.

The biblical doctrine of justification shows how God gives to us Christ’s perfect righteousness and relationship with God. He became sin so that we are now endowed with God’s own righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

The tenth article addresses the error behind indulgences which are supposed to remove the need to suffer in Purgatory either in part or completely. The Pope is supposed to control what is called the treasury of merit by which he can commute suffering in Purgatory. At the time of the Reformation, indulgences were being sold to ignorant people who believed their offering could free a loved one from suffering. This was one of the errors addressed by Martin Luther. Christ’s once for all sacrifice provided complete forgiveness, justification, and reconciliation to God. Nothing more can be added to it.

The only treasury of merit comes from Christ’s shed blood, which is freely bestowed on those who believe.

The eleventh article examines the RCC teaching on water baptism which conflates justification with water baptism, which is our public proclamation of allegiance to Christ. Only the blood of Christ can purify a soul and wash away our sins, not H₂0.

In this article I outlined the three baptisms listed in the New Testament: baptism into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit which takes place at the new birth, baptism in water when we publicly identify with Christ, and the baptism in the Holy Spirit which equips and empowers us to be witnesses for Christ.

I show that water baptism should follow conversion, not be done prior as with infant baptism. Infant baptism is a syncretistic blending of Old Covenant circumcision with New Covenant believer’s baptism, resulting in error.

The last article examines the RCC’s non-biblical elevation of the Lord’s Supper into something that closely resembles, or perhaps is, idolatry.

Their doctrine of transubstantiation claims that the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Christ. People are supposed to regard a piece of bread as if it were God himself, a very strange misconstruing of Jesus’ using the metaphor of bread and wine to illustrate partaking of him and the benefits of his sacrificial death by faith. It is sad that in the one instance in which the RCC chooses to take Jesus’ words literally, they should be understood metaphorically.

As can be readily seen, the RCC has not slightly veered off course. It actually teaches a different gospel, which in reality is not good news at all and brings upon it God’s judgment.

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! Galatians 1:6–8 (NASB95) —

Those who read their Bibles will understand how the RCC is incompatible with the pursuit of truth.

Even though there are genuine followers of Christ in the RCC, their presence is not grounds for overlooking the church’s egregious departure from truth or make it alright to be a Catholic. Instead it is somewhat of an enigma how Bible believing disciples can remain in a church that teaches and practices so much error. I do not believe it is a good idea to remain in it in an attempt to reform it from within. It did not work for Martin Luther, and it will not work for us. My conclusion is that we should pray that God will turn more and more Catholics to the truth, but those Catholics who know the truth already should seriously consider if God wants them to be part of something that is under his judgment for preaching another gospel.

In Roman Catholic theology, the Eucharist is the Real Presence of God, Jesus Christ, body and blood, under the appearance of bread and wine. ¹

This sacrament is known also as Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper, and the Blessed Sacrament. How did the Lord’s Supper, which began as a memorial meal signifying Christ’s sacrificial death for our sins, become what it is today in Roman Catholic Church (RCC) theology?

Christ inaugurated this memorial at the Last Supper, which was a Passover Seder meal, with these recorded words.

And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Luke 22:19–20 (NASB95) —

The Old Covenant Passover meal commemorated God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt. God instructed each Israelite family to kill a lamb and spread its blood on the doorposts and lintels of their homes. Every home that had this marking was spared a visit by the death angel, which put to death the firstborn sons in those homes not so marked. The early church understood Christ’s sacrificial death to be the fulfillment of this Old Covenant foreshadowing.

The early church obeyed the Lord by regularly commemorating his death at their gatherings at communal meals as recorded in Acts.

Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, Acts 2:46 (NASB95) —

As with any group of humans, problems eventually arose concerning how the Lord’s Supper was practiced, which Paul addressed in his first letter to the church in Corinth in the eleventh chapter. People in the church were so hungry that they began their meal before others, resulting in abuses that betrayed the meaning of the meal.

Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, 21 for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you. 1 Corinthians 11:20–22 (NASB95) —

He ordered them to eat at home, if they were so hungry they could not wait for others, so that proper order could be maintained when the fellowship meal was served.

Fellowship meals continued in association with the post-apostolic Eucharist, as is shown in the Didachē (a Christian document concerned with worship and church discipline written c. 100–c. 140), and in the doctrinal and liturgical development described in the writings of the early Church Fathers little was changed. During the late 2nd century the meal became vestigial and was finally abandoned. The Eucharist was originally celebrated every Sunday, but by the 4th century it was celebrated daily…

Not until the beginning of the Middle Ages did controversial issues arise that found expression in the definition of the doctrine of transubstantiation at the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215. This definition opened the way for the Scholastic interpretation of the eucharistic presence of Christ and of the sacramental principle, in Aristotelian terms. Thus, St. Thomas Aquinas maintained that a complete change occurred in the “substance” of each of the species, while the “accidents,” or outward appearances, remained the same. During the Reformation, though the medieval doctrine was denied in varying ways by the reformers, it was reaffirmed in the RCC by the Council of Trent in 1551.  ²

The doctrine of transubstantiation maintains that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus in a literal sense. In other words, the bread and wine become God himself. This takes place on the altar during the Mass when Jesus is supposedly re-sacrificed by the priest each time the Mass is performed. (I wrote about this heresy in an earlier article.) When communicants receive the wine and bread, usually just the bread, since the wine is reserved most often for the priest, they supposedly actually consume God. Any bread left over is called the Host and is treated as God himself. After the Mass, the Host is placed in a tabernacle on the altar until the next Mass. When Roman Catholics walk in front of this tabernacle, they are expected to take a knee, or genuflect, and make the sign of the cross in reverence to God’s supposed actual physical presence on the altar. A vessel called a monstrance, pictured on the right, is used to hold the host and to facilitate adoration.

The RCC developed this doctrine of the Eucharist and transubstantiation by turning to its three pillars: the Bible, church tradition, and the authority of the infallible “magisterium” of the church, that is the ex cathedra proclamations of the Pope, which as we have already seen, are subject to change. By adding to God’s Word in the form of church tradition and pronouncements from the magisterium, the RCC violates the biblical principle that forbids adding to God’s Word. (Deuteronomy 4:2, Proverbs 30:6)

Let’s consider the RCC doctrine of the Eucharist from a biblical perspective, which is the only valid source of good doctrine.

Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark. Isaiah 8:20 (NLT) —

Jesus told his followers who witnessed his feeding of the 5000 that they should not prioritize eating natural bread.

“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” John 6:27–29 (NASB95) —

Jesus taught them to seek first the kingdom of God, which centered on believing in him as the Messiah and Lord. The kingdom of God arrived on earth with the coming of the King. Later in this passage…

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. John 6:35 (NASB95) —

This verse lays down a very simple principle: we partake of Christ as the bread of life by believing in him. This became quite clear when Jesus told his disciples that he would send his Holy Spirit to live in them.

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. John 14:16–17 (NASB95) —

This is the meaning of the parable of the vine and the branches in John 15. This reality of the indwelling Holy Spirit also makes quite clear other teachings of Jesus in which he said we would be one with him and the Father.

I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:20–21 (NASB95) —

Later the apostle Paul wrote that when we are born again through faith in Christ our spirits become one with the Holy Spirit.

But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NASB95) —

Instead of inhabiting the Ark of the Covenant and later the Temple, God now inhabits a temple made of what Peter called “living stones,” that is, human beings in whom his Spirit dwells.

And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 1 Peter 2:5 (NLT) —

Paul wrote much the same thing in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. 19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:18–22 (NLT) —

It is clear that the Old Covenant foreshadowed God’s taking up residence in human beings by using the pictures or types of the Ark and the Temple. With the coming of the New Covenant, the shadow was replaced by reality.

It is inconceivable that God would reintroduce the idea that he dwells in a physical tabernacle.

The Old Covenant temple was destroyed in 70 AD never to be restored because the old sacrificial system has been fulfilled in Christ once and for all. By claiming that God physically dwells in a tabernacle on an altar today, the RCC practices a syncretism of the Old and New Covenants, something it does regularly.

Jesus once told a large crowd of followers that it was necessary for them to eat his body and drink his blood. This supposed command to cannibalize him deeply offended many of his followers who took him literally.

“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 “This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.” 59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. 60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” John 6:54–60 (NASB95) —

Jesus understood that his words stumbled many, but he did not walk them back. However, he did give us a hint as to their true meaning.

But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? 62 “What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? 63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” John 6:61–65 (NASB95) —

Jesus often spoke spiritual mysteries which can only be spiritually discerned. He used physical metaphors to shed light on spiritual realities – the sower and the seed, the pearl of great price, and yeast in a lump of dough. In the case in John Chapter Six, people had just eaten bread; so Jesus used the metaphor of bread. With the woman at the well, he used the metaphor of living water. Later in John Chapter Seven (John 7:39), our Lord explained that this well of water referred to the Holy Spirit, but he did not give the woman any such details in John Chapter Four.

Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.” John 4:13–15 (NASB95) —

Nevertheless, somehow she knew that he was referring to himself. God’s Spirit opened her eyes and enabled her to believe in him. Those who are spiritually blind and deaf cannot see or hear. It is interesting and informative, that the RCC did not make drinking water a sacrament. Even they realized that our Lord was speaking metaphorically. It is regrettable that they did not make the same judgment when it came to the Lord’s Supper.

Jesus spoke of spiritual mysteries in veiled terms so that only those to whom the Holy Spirit reveals truth will understand.

His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant. 10 And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND. Luke 8:9–10 (NASB95) —

Therefore, it does not depend on how educated or intelligent we are. It all depends on God’s Spirit.

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26 “Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 27 “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Matthew 11:25–27 (NASB95) —

He did this so that only those who are enlightened by the Spirit and come to him and be saved by faith.

“But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” John 6:64–65 (NASB95) —

Sometimes even his own disciples did not understand. It was only after his resurrection that much of what Jesus taught them became clear. When Jesus said the “flesh profits nothing,” he meant that the physical bread was not the focus. He spoke metaphorically about receiving him by faith. He said that the problem with those who chose to leave was a lack of faith.

Faith is the key to everything in God’s kingdom. Without it we cannot please God. (Hebrews 11:6) Without faith we will never grasp who Jesus really is, the bread of life. Without faith we cannot receive him and partake of his life.

Human beings seem to have an innate propensity to create and worship idols, physical objects that represent spiritual realities. Even though it may be understood initially that these objects represent a spiritual reality, over time the physical objects are worshiped as being gods in themselves. This is why God forbade his people from making any sort of image of him, the one true God. (Exodus 20:4) The Israelites made golden calves to worship after they left Egypt. Moses had gone to Mt. Sinai to be with God and had not yet returned. It was difficult for the people to trust in an invisible God without Moses’ leadership. Later during Israel’s desert wandering, because of the people’s grumbling and complaining against Moses and God, the Lord sent venomous snakes into their midst (Numbers 21:6), which killed many. In order to save them, God instructed Moses to make a brass image of a snake on a pole. When the people looked at it, the snake venom would not harm them. This was a foreshadowing of Jesus, who became sin for us, hanging on a cross. Those who look to him in faith will be saved from the venom of the serpent, Satan, and sin. This picture of a spiritual reality later became a curse because the people began to treat it as an idol, as if it had some power in itself. King Hezekiah destroyed it as part of his spiritual reformation of the nation. (2 Kings 18:4)

Over time in the Roman Catholic Church, the Lord’s Supper, which began as a memorial to Christ’s sacrificial death to inspire us to trust in him and what he did, later became a transubstantiated Eucharist, an idol which is worshiped as being God himself.

Anytime we are encouraged to turn to anything or anyone besides Christ, it is a distraction at best and an idol at worst. This has happened over and over again in the RCC. As pointed out in an earlier article, veneration of Mary, who is a wonderful example of faith and surrender to God’s will, has been elevated to almost worship. In fact, the people of Mexico, Portugal, and France pay such homage to Mary at the shrines located there, that it seems to have morphed into pagan idolatry. Roman Catholic church buildings are usually filled with statues of Jesus, Mary, and the saints. Catholics adorn their walls, necks, and rosaries with crucifixes – images of Christ hanging still upon the cross. Relics, pieces of the bones of saints or other holy objects, are often venerated and believed to have power in themselves. All of this can easily become a form of idolatry in which physical objects are seen to have power in themselves that belongs to God alone. Roman Catholics officially protest that this is not so, but the line is very thin between veneration and adoration. Nowhere in the Bible are we told to venerate anyone or anything besides the Lord.

The Lord’s Supper is supposed to inspire us to remember what Jesus accomplished on our behalf by his death, burial, and resurrection. It is sad that the RCC converted this into something so different.

Roman Catholics believe that consuming the Eucharist, which they believe is actually physically God, imparts God’s life to them. Only God’s Spirit can do that, whom every believer has received by putting faith and allegiance in Christ.

The biblical practice is to obey Christ by using the Lord’s Supper as a memorial meal to inspire us to worship him who laid down his life for us as the Good Shepherd.

1 https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/eucharist

² https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eucharist

According to Roman Catholic theology, sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification (Catechismus concil. Trident., II, n. 4, ex S. August “De catechizandis rudibus”).

According to the teaching of the Catholic Church,… the sacraments of the Christian dispensation are not mere signs; they do not merely signify Divine grace, but in virtue of their Divine institution, they cause that grace in the souls of men…The Council of Trent solemnly defined that there are seven sacraments of the New Law, truly and properly so called, viz., baptism, confirmation, Holy Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, orders, and matrimony. ¹

Most of the sacraments can only be administered by ordained Roman Catholic Church (RCC) priests or bishops. There is still controversy in the RCC about how sacraments confer grace, but it is accepted that they do. I will examine two of the sacraments, baptism and Holy Communion or the Eucharist. This article will focus on baptism. The next one will address the Eucharist.

Water baptism is the gateway into membership in the RCC. The church practices infant baptism to remove the stain of original sin. It was believed that infants who die without being water baptized could not go to heaven but went to a kind of halfway station called limbo, but that doctrine has been officially abandoned as of 1992, when the term was removed from the catechism. This instability regarding doctrine will always happen when the Bible is not our basis for truth.

According to RCC doctrine, water baptism accomplishes five things.

1. It forgives all sins that may have been committed prior to a person’s baptism including original sin, mortal sins, and venial sins, and it relieves the punishment for those sins.
2. It makes the newly baptized person “a new creature.”
3. It turns the person into a newly adopted son of God and a member of Christ. Baptism incorporates a person into the Church, which is the body of Christ.
4. It brings someone into the flock of the faithful and brings them to share in the royal priesthood of Christ (1 Pet. 2:9-10). Catholic baptism gives a share in the common priesthood of all believers and it also brings about the sacramental bond of the unity of Christians. Paragraph 1271 of the Catechism says it best:
   Baptism constitutes the foundation of communion among all Christians, including those who are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church: “For men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church. Justified by faith in Baptism, [they] are incorporated into Christ; they, therefore, have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers by the children of the Catholic Church. Baptism, therefore, constitutes the sacramental bond of unity existing among all who through it are reborn.”
5. Last, but certainly not least, baptism leaves an indelible spiritual mark (character) of belonging to Christ on the soul. Nothing you can do will take away this mark even if you sin a million times. Those sins may prevent you from being open to the salvation God offers through baptism, but you will always carry the mark of a Christian on your soul, therefore making re-baptism impossible. ²

Let’s examine these points from a biblical perspective. I will show how Roman Catholic theology conflates the three baptisms found in the Bible into water baptism, which is largely what causes the confusion.

There is only one remedy for sin – the blood of our Lord Jesus.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace Ephesians 1:7 (NASB95) —

His one sacrifice forgave all sins for all time for those who put their faith and allegiance in Christ.

With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Hebrews 9:12 (NLT) —

To say that water baptism removes sin gives water more power than Christ’s blood.

A way to clear up this confusion is to understand that the Bible teaches that there are three baptisms: into the body of Christ, into water, and into the Holy Spirit. I cover these in more detail in other articles. You can click on the previous links connected with each type above to read more. Here I will give a short summary.

Baptism into the Body of Christ

The baptism into the body of Christ takes place at the new birth.

The Holy Spirit performs this baptism and plunges us into Christ, whereby we become one with him and other believers in what is called the Body of Christ or the church.

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13 (NASB95) —

This baptism is what saves us. Our sins are forgiven. We are made right with God and given eternal life via the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is an invisible baptism done by the Spirit. The medium is Christ, and the evidence is a changed life. This baptism makes us “new creatures” in Christ.

When a person becomes a Christian, or is born again and baptized into the Body of Christ, God seals us with his Holy Spirit.

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13–14 (NASB95) —

This seal is a permanent mark identifying us as belonging to Christ. Water baptism does not do this, but the new birth does. We are sealed because Christ purchased us with his own blood.

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Acts 20:28 (NASB95) —

For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:20 (NASB95) —

The idea that we are permanently marked by water baptism but do not permanently belong to God is a strange doctrine.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB95) —

In conclusion, the baptism into the body of Christ is a spiritual baptism performed by the Holy Spirit at the time of the new birth and is what makes us a child of God.

Baptism into Water

Baptism into water is our declaration of faith and allegiance in Christ before witnesses.

It is meant to take place after we confess Jesus as Lord, which is why it is called believer’s baptism. There is absolutely no evidence in the New Testament that supports infant baptism, which is a syncretistic rite extrapolated from Old Covenant circumcision. Water baptism is a public and formal confessing of Christ as Lord, much as public wedding vows consecrate a marriage. Couples may privately pledge mutual fidelity to each other, but public vows are much better because they are before witnesses who will hold us accountable.

Water baptism “saves” us in the sense that it is an act of obedience to our Lord whereby we confess him publicly before witnesses. This salvation is part of our sanctification, about which I have written elsewhere. The confession of Christ as Lord is what eternally saves us, not the water baptism that is meant to immediately follow. If water baptism actually saved us in the eternal sense, the apostle Paul would certainly have majored on it. However, Paul did not focus on water baptism, but on the preaching of the gospel message.

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. 1 Corinthians 1:17 (NASB95) —

Water baptism is an important act of obedience, but not the source of forgiveness or eternal life.

It is performed by another believer in water. The evidence, quite naturally, is getting wet, since the meaning of the word from the Greek root word, bapto, is to be submerged. In biblical Christianity, water baptism is regarded as an ordinance, something Christ commanded, rather than a sacrament.

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is performed by Christ himself upon any child of God into the Holy Spirit. Its purpose is to equip and empower us to be his witnesses. The evidence of receiving this baptism is speaking in tongues and prophecy.

John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Luke 3:16 (NASB95) —

Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4–5 (NASB95) —

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NLT) —

All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” Acts 10:45–47 (NASB95) —

When one comes to an understanding of the three baptisms, it clears up much of the confusion associated with trying to make water baptism actually save us in the eternal sense.

The RCC doctrine that water baptism clears away all sin led some to delay receiving it until just before death in order to enter heaven with a “clean slate.” This doctrine flies in the face of the Bible’s teaching that Christ’s one sacrifice provided forgiveness once and for all. Justification declares that we are not guilty before God, having received Christ’s very own righteousness as a free gift.

By attempting to make water baptism more than it really is, it shifts the focus from faith in Christ to the act of receiving the sacrament.

It also makes people dependent upon the church for salvation instead of upon our Lord directly. This is a recurrent problem with RCC theology, which tends to keep people permanently in bondage to extra- or non-biblical doctrines of men (or demons – 1 Timothy 4:1). The Lord came to set people free.

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, Luke 4:18 (NLT) —

 

¹ https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/sacraments

² https://www.aboutcatholics.com/beliefs/a-guide-to-catholic-baptism/

Once the doctrine of Purgatory was in place, it was only logical for the concept of indulgences to arise. These two errors reveal clearly the Roman Catholic preoccupation with our having to earn salvation through good works rather than receiving it as a free gift based on what Christ accomplished on our behalf.

The granting of indulgences to supposedly partially or fully remit our remaining debt to God in Purgatory is more closely aligned with Islam that Christianity.

The granting of indulgences was predicated on two beliefs. First, in the sacrament of penance it did not suffice to have the guilt (culpa) of sin forgiven through absolution alone; one also needed to undergo temporal punishment (poena, from p[o]enitentia, “penance”) because one had offended Almighty God. Second, indulgences rested on belief in purgatory, a place in the next life where one could continue to cancel the accumulated debt of one’s sins, another Western medieval conception not shared by Eastern Orthodoxy or other Eastern Christian churches not recognizing the primacy of the pope. ¹

Over time the early church strayed from the simple forgiveness offered in the gospel to more legalistic forms of public penance required by bishops for serious sins.

Some sins apparently resulted in permanent excommunication. Nowhere in the teachings of Jesus or the apostles in the New Testament can we find anything like that. Eventually RCC doctrine developed to the point that Christ’s death and resurrection needed something more to be added to it. We know from Scripture that this is not so.

I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him. Ecclesiastes 3:14 (NASB95) —

Believing that Christ’s work was imperfect is a grave error that detracts from his glory. What Jesus accomplished on the cross was perfect, complete, and good for all time.

but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. Hebrews 10:12–14 (NASB95) —

…Scholastic theologians of the 12th and 13th centuries worked out a fully articulated theory of penance. It consisted of three parts: contrition, confession, and satisfaction. The debt of forgiven sin could be reduced through the performance of good works in this life (pilgrimages, charitable acts, and the like) or through suffering in purgatory. Indulgences could be granted only by popes or, to a lesser extent, archbishops and bishops as ways of helping ordinary people measure and amortize their remaining debt. “Plenary,” or full, indulgences cancelled all the existing obligation, while “partial” indulgences remitted only a portion of it. People naturally wanted to know how much debt was forgiven (just as modern students want to know exactly what they need to study for examinations), so set periods of days, months, and years came gradually to be attached to different kinds of partial indulgences.

One did not, however, have to do it all by oneself. Medieval Christianity was a vast community of mutual help through prayer and good works, uniting the living and the dead in the Church Militant on earth, the Church Suffering in purgatory, and the Church Triumphant in heaven. The good works of Jesus Christ, the saints, and others could be drawn upon to liberate souls from purgatory. In 1343 Pope Clement VI decreed that all these good works were in the Treasury of Merit, over which the pope had control.

This highly complicated theological system, which was framed as a means to help people achieve their eternal salvation, easily lent itself to misunderstanding and abuse as early as the 13th century, much sooner than is usually thought. A principal contributing factor was money. Paralleling the rise of indulgences, the Crusades, and the reforming papacy was the economic resurgence of Europe that began in the 11th century. Part of this tremendous upsurge was the phenomenon of commutation, through which any services, obligations, or goods could be converted into a corresponding monetary payment. Those eager to gain plenary indulgences, but unable to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, wondered whether they might perform an alternative good work or make an equivalent offering to a charitable enterprise—for example, the building of a leprosarium or a cathedral. Churchmen allowed such commutation, and the popes even encouraged it, especially Innocent III (reigned 1198–1216) in his various Crusading projects. From the 12th century onward the process of salvation was therefore increasingly bound up with money. Reformers of the 14th and 15th centuries frequently complained about the “sale” of indulgences by pardoners.

People also wondered whether they could gain an indulgence for someone who had died and was presumed to be in purgatory. If so, in acting out of charity for someone else, were they then obliged to confess their own sins, as they would if they sought to obtain an indulgence for themselves? Although these concerns were surfacing as early as the 13th century, it was only in 1476 that Pope Sixtus IV declared that one could indeed gain an indulgence for someone in purgatory. ²

This brings us to the time of the reformer Martin Luther, who posted his “95 Theses” or points of debate on the church door in Wittenburg, Germany on October 31, 1517. At that time, a Dominican friar named Johann Tetzel sold indulgences to raise money for the pope by claiming: “When a penny in the coffer rings, / A soul from Purgatory springs.” Luther challenged the entire system of indulgences by simply asking why the pope, if he had control over the treasury of merit, did not simply release everyone from Purgatory out of love, instead of requiring monetary payment.

As should be apparent, the RCC’s theology of penance is contrary to the New Covenant which teaches unequivocally that Christ’s sacrifice perfectly atoned from our sins.

The concept that Christ only removed guilt but did not perfectly cleanse us from unrighteousness is also wrong. John wrote that the opposite is true.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NASB95) —

Paul made it clear that no “work” can be added to what Christ did for us without our forfeiting grace altogether. Anything we try to “do” to gain merit with God is a work of the law.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. Galatians 5:1–4 (NASB95) —

One can justifiably insert indulgence or penance in the place of circumcision in the above passage. Anything we insist is necessary over and above faith in Christ is a work of the law.

RCC doctrine essentially teaches that Christ did not actually save us. He simply made it possible for us to save ourselves via good works. This is not the gospel. It is a man-made religion that stands in opposition to the New Covenant.

¹ https://www.britannica.com/topic/indulgence

² Ibid.

The Roman Catholic doctrine of Purgatory contradicts the glorious truth of justification by faith and declares that Christ’s death and resurrection were insufficient to completely save us.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes purgatory as a state of final purification after death and before entrance into heaven for those who died in God’s friendship, but were only imperfectly purified; a final cleansing of human imperfection before one is able to enter the joy of heaven (1031; cf. 1472)

Purgatory is not mentioned in the Bible. Instead the New Testament clearly teaches that God completely justifies us (makes us right with God) when we put our faith and allegiance in Christ. The Bible teaches that a great exchange takes place when we are justified. Our sins fall upon Christ, and his perfect righteousness is transferred to us.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB95) —

It is not simply that we are forgiven for past sins.

Justification makes us completely and forever right and acceptable with God.

For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. Hebrews 10:14 (NASB95) —

Justification takes place in the spirit, the innermost part of our being, which is capable of direct communion with God. In fact, Paul wrote that when we are born again, our spirit becomes one with the Holy Spirit.

But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NASB95) —

Because of this inner union with God’s Spirit, we are now continually in the presence of God. Spiritually we are already seated at God’s right hand, where Christ dwells, because we are “in Christ” or one with him in the Spirit.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:4–6 (NASB95) —

For us who still live in our mortal bodies, justification is something we accept by faith.

Justification means that Christ took the punishment for our sins so that we never have to face condemnation at the Judgment.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24 (NASB95) —

This glorious truth seems contradicted by the ongoing presence of sin in our lives. Every born again believer is locked in a struggle with what the Bible calls the “flesh.” Paul described this battle in the Seventh Chapter of Romans.

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Romans 7:18–23 (NASB95) —

If even Paul struggled in this manner, it is not at all surprising that so do the rest of us. Does this internal battle against sin nullify the truth of justification? Not at all.

The reason for this inner conflict is because our bodies have not yet been raised from the dead. Our spirits are made new at the new birth and will never die, but our bodies are still part of the old order of things, destined to the grave.

Justification is a one time event, but the process of sanctification continues for our lifetime after being justified.

Sanctification is a daily work of grace in cooperation with God’s Holy Spirit, who lives inside us as God’s change agent.

For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are (being) sanctified. Hebrews 10:14 (NASB95) —

This happens as we grow in our knowledge and faith in God’s truth and promises found in the Bible.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:31–32 (NASB95) —

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NASB95) — 

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NASB95) —

We will never attain complete perfection in this life. Instead we live in hope of righteousness.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. Galatians 5:1–6 (NASB95) —

This means that our spiritual justification must be received by faith as we wait for it to be completely manifested at the resurrection.

If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you... 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Romans 8:10-11, 22–25 (NASB95) —

The resurrection will be the final installment of our great salvation.

Justification makes us perfectly righteous in the spirit. Sanctification is the process of being transformed into Christ’s image on a daily basis as we cooperate with God’s Spirit and grace. Glorification will take place at the resurrection. At that point our inner struggle with sin shall cease because our bodies will also be renewed and part of the new order of things. Justification was once and for all in the past. Sanctification takes place in the present day by day. Glorification lies in the future and will be once and for all time. (You can read more about these things in other articles I have written on justification, sanctification, and glorification.)

Even though complete transformation will only be ours at the resurrection, our complete justification at the time of the new birth guarantees our access into God’s presence right now and upon death.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Philippians 3:20–21 (NASB95) —

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 (NASB95) —

Eternal life begins at the new birth and never ends. Since we are already spiritually seated with Christ in God’s presence, when our bodies die, we will immediately be in God’s manifest presence.

If we are already in God’s presence, why would anyone devise a place called Purgatory, removed from God’s presence, where we will suffer to expiate our own sins, something Christ already did for us once and for all?

The doctrine of Purgatory, therefore, is an abomination that detracts from Christ’s perfect work. Instead of going to Purgatory to suffer in order to remove the remaining debt accumulated by our sins, when we die we will immediately be in God’s presence.

Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6–8 (NASB95) —

We cannot have it both ways. Either Jesus completely justified us through his death and resurrection, or we are on our own. If it is the latter, we are lost without hope. If it is the former, we are gloriously saved. The Bible clearly teaches that Christ perfectly saved us once and for all.

With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. Hebrews 9:12 (NLT) —